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(No Model.)

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Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

(No Model.)

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Patented Feb.. 18, 1896.

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No. 554,888. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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' FRANK MANSFIELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DOOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,888, dated February 18, 1896.

Application flledMay 23, 1892. Renewed November 26, 1895. Serial No. 570,238. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK MANSFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Doors,of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art. to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication.

My invention pertains to the same class of doors as is found in my Letters Patent No. 472,737, granted April 12, 1892, and which contains several generic claims covering broad features of the invention found herein.

A type of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved door with an operating-platform connected therewith and shown in vertical section on a plane indicated by line 1 1, Fig. 2, the full lines representing the door asclosed and the dotted-in lines as opened. Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to the view in Fig. 1, the connection between the door-sections being here omitted. The full lines represent the position of the various parts when the door is closed and the broken lines when it is opened. Fig. 3 isa similar view to Fig. 1 with the operating-platform and its connection omitted. Fig. 4 is a view of a doorway provided with my improved door shown as closed.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers of reference designate like parts throughout, 1 designates one section of the door and 2 the other, the former being pivoted at 3 and the latter at 4in the same vertical plane. These sections are made rigid and non-collapsible, and are so constructed as to meet when closed on a line 5, which runs obliquely of the doorway or opening from one corner thereof to the other diagonally-opposite corner. As the line upon which the meeting edges of the door-sections comes together when closed extends obliquely, the sections are preferably made triangular in general shape, a right-angled triangle being the preferred form on account of requiring the minimum amount of material and reducing the weight. In this form the hypotenuse-line of each triangular section forms the meeting edge, and the base-lines form the vertical edges of the sections when closed, so that the opening or doorway which may be closed by the sections may be as large a rectangle as that formed by the side edges and the top and bottom edges of the sections, respectively, when the same are closed, as indicated in the drawings. When the door and doorway are of these proportions, the line upon which the sections meet extends obliquely of the doorway from near one of the upper corners thereof to near one of the lower corners thereof, as shown in Fig. et but if preferred the doorway may be made proportionately smaller, so that this line may run from one corner of the doorway to the diagonally-opposite one.

The door-sections 1 and 2 move together in opening and closing, by virtue of the intermediate connections,wl1ich consist in an arm 7, secured to the section 2 at or near the pivotal point thereof and extending nearly horizontally therefrom above the door. Alink 8 is pivoted by one end to this arm and by the other end to the back or outer edge of the door-section 1, and preferably to an extension 9 of the same. Of course the point of hinging the link to the door-section might be at any other desirable and suitable location. For instance, it might be at the upper corner thereof, the object being to obtain the best leverage and thereby the easiest action of the door-sections in their simultaneous movements. Each door-section is provided with a Vsuitable handle 10, by means of which either of the two sections may be operated. Considering the door as closed, the forcing aside of section 1, for instance, so as to move it on its pivot or hinge 3, will draw downwardly upon the link 8, thereby lowering the arm 7 and shifting the section 2, the several parts, when the door is opened, assuming the positions shown in dotted-in lines; or the shifting of section 2 will lower the arm 7, thereby forcing down the link 8 and moving the section 1 into open position, at the same time assuming the open position itself.

ln closing the door by manipulating either of the door-sections, the reverse movements from those just described will occur, as will be readily understood from the drawings.

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The tendency of the door sections, as constructed, is to gravitate into closed position and remain closed, after an initial movement has been imparted to them. The sections may be provided with suitable weights and springs to better counterbalance them, and, if desired, friction devices of any suitable kind may be applied to prevent the sudden and forcible closing of the sections, as pointed out in my other application hereinbefore referred to.

To facilitate the operation of the door-sections and render their movements easier, I locate the pivot 3 of section l a little to the right of the prolongation of the line of the outer edge of the sectionthat is, the line opposite the oblique line of the section-and I locate the center of the pivot 4- of the section 2 about on such line. I also provide means whereby the door may be automatically operated bythe weight of a person approaching the door to pass through the same. To this end I arrange a movable platform 11 in the iioor at one or both sides of the doorway, the platform being pivoted or hinged at l2, so that the end thereof near the threshold of the door may have the necessary vertical play to operate the door-sections through means of the connectinglink 13, which is pivoted by one end to the platform and by the other end to the doorsection 1 and preferably to the 4projection 9 thereof.;

The platform 12 is duplicated, one being arranged at each side of the door, so that the door may be automatically opened by a person approaching the same from either side thereof. The weight of a person upon the platform 12 will depress the same into the position shown in dotted-in lines, and in doing so the rod 13 draws the door-section 1 to one side, thereby moving the section 2 also to one side through means of their intermediate connections S and 7. The door being thus opened by the person, he may then pass through the doorway, and as the platforms are relieved of his weight the door will automatically close by reason of its counterbalance and by the assistance of springs 14, acting upon the platforms 12 12, or by the counterweight 15, which is secured to the lower end of the door-section 2 or other suitable point of the mechanism, either the springs or weights being used, or both.

` As will be understood from the appended claims, I do not limit my invention to the specific means herewith shown, as the saine may be variously modified without departing from the broad scope of the invention.

Having thus described my improvements in doors, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A door comprising two sections pivoted respectively at or near diagonally-opposite corners of the doorway, one of said sections provided with a fixed arm and a link pivoted by one end to said arm and by the other end to the other said door-section.

2. The combination with a door comprising two sections pivoted respectively at or near diagonally-opposite corners of the doorway and provided with intermediate connections whereby they may move together, of a movable platform arranged in the floor adjacent the doorway and connections intermediate the said platform and one of said door-sections whereby the movement or depression of the platform may operate the door-sections.

3. The combination with a door comprising two sections pivoted respectively at or near diagonally-opposite corners of thc doorway and provided with intermediate connections whereby they may move together, of a movable platform arranged in the iioor upon each side of the doorway and connections intermediate each said platform and one of the doorsections, whereby the movement or depression of either platform may operate the door sections.

4. The combination with a door comprising two sections pivoted respectively at or near diagonally-opposite corners of the doorway, of a movable platform arranged in the floor adjacent the doorway and a link pivoted to the platform by one end and pivoted by its other end to one of the door-sections.

5. A door comprising two rigid non-collapsible sections 1 and 2, formed triangular in general shape and pivoted, respectively, at or near diagonallyopposite corners of the doorway and meeting on a line 5, extending obliquely of the doorway, and rigid arm and link connections intermediate the said sections whereby they may move together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A door comprising a section 1, and a section 2, pivoted, respectively, at or near diagonally-opposite corners of the doorway and provided with a fixed arm 7, a link 8, pivoted between the arm 7, and the section 1, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

7. A door comprising two sections 1 and 2, pivoted, respectively, at or near diagonallyopposite corners of doorway and having intermediate connections whereby they may move together, a movable platform 1l, anda link 13, connecting the platform and one of the door-sections, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 4th day of May, 1892, in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK MANSFIELD. Witnesses:

JOHN C. WAIT, P. D. CAsE'rT.

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